


A Strange Little Band of Characters

by Tabithian



Series: Light the Path [20]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 14:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4628874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason will be the first to admit that he and Tim didn't exactly get along in the beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Strange Little Band of Characters

**Author's Note:**

> Anon wanted a fic based on [this post](http://tabithian.tumblr.com/post/127264482049/batfamily-apologies-submitted-by.). 
> 
>  
> 
> *hands*

Jason will be the first to admit that he and Tim didn't exactly get along in the beginning.

Because reasons. 

Jason being a raging asshole, mostly. Also, the crazy thing. (He's much better now.)

Maybe's it's just prolonged exposure to the little shit, or the fact that Jason's grown up a bit since then, who knows.

Point is, Jason is making an effort these days.

And, yes, up to this point that mainly consisted of Jason keeping the little shit from getting killed when he pulled some stupid stunt, or, like. The little shit returning the favor, because Bruce – and Dick because wow, major case of hero worship there - are pretty much the worst role models in that department.

Running patrols together, the kid being a snarky, sassy, little punk who just won't fucking stop poking at Jason. Just talks to him about the weirdest shit when things are slow, whatever random thought or idea pops into his head. (Times when he doesn't talk, just lets Jason be because it's a crap night for him and Tim is smart like that.)

Will come out with some dry as hell comment on someone they're running surveillance on that hits Jason the right way to make him smile or laugh, and.

Christ, yes. Tim's not so fucking bad.

So.

Jason's making an effort, and part of it is noticing the little shit isn't exactly looking all that great.

Kind of tired, rundown and still pushing himself way too damn hard.

“The fuck are you even eating?”

Tim looks over at Jason, cheek puffed out and looking like a deranged squirrel. Holds up the shitty energy bar in his hand, head tilted in a way that makes it clear he's questioning Jason's intelligence.

“Fuck you, Tim.” 

Jason reaches out to snatch the energy bar from him, but Tim scuttles out of his reach holding the damn thing close to himself like he would a baby.

Fucking _hisses_.

“What.”

Tim scowls at him, turns his back and finishes the energy bar off like he's not a complete freak.

********

It's not like Jason makes a habit of hanging out at the manor, or down in the Batcave, but you know. He ends up there a time or two. 

Mostly because fucking Tim's bleeding or in need of medical attention Jason can't give him in the field. Then there are the times Jason's just so fucking done with the crazy shit he pulls he dumps him on Bruce and the others.

Take now, for example.

Tim sleeping off the effects of a little smoke inhalation, because hey, running into burning buildings to save people is a thing they do. (It would have been nice if Tim had mentioned his damn re-breather was malfunctioning, damaged in an earlier fight, though. Just a little.)

“What's with the little shit and his damn energy bars?” Jason asks, tries to keep it casual but - 

Bruce lifts his eyes from the report he's reading, _stares_ at Jason.

“You tried to take one away from him.”

Jason frowns, because that sounds a hell of a lot like a man who's been in Jason's shoes.

“Yeah, he kind of went Gollum on me.”

Bruce smiles, ever so slightly. “He does do that, doesn't he.”

Jason stares at Bruce because that's. 

It's fucking _fond_ , like oh, it's just so damn adorable when Tim acts like a being corrupted by an artifact imbued with malevolent power. (So fucking _precious_.)

********

He thinks about asking Dick about it, but.

No.

Dick gets weird whenever Jason mentions Tim, which.

To be fair, is understandable what with Jason having been so darn keen on killing the little shit for a while there.

Still.

It's not like Jason's made a serious attempt in, what is it now? 

Weeks?

(Fucking sue him, Tim is a goddamn instigator.)

********

Damian just stares at him.

And. 

Yeah, okay, not like he was going to get anything on Tim from him, what the hell was Jason thinking?

********

Alfred _hmms_ at him, this little amused light in his eyes.

Says, “He is a most unusual young man.”

And then gives Jason a enigmatic smile and continues dusting.

********

Steph's in Hong Kong with Cass, and when Jason gives her a call has to pull the phone away from his ear because _Christ_ , it's not really that funny.

********

Barbara just sends him an e-mail with a link to the website for the energy bars Tim likes and a little smiley face. 

********

Tim must have found out Jason's been asking around about Tim's weird. Energy bar thing, because - 

“Fucking hell,” Jason says, when he checks his jacket pockets.

Pulls out energy bar wrappers and a little scrap of paper with the Red Robin symbol like Jason wouldn't know who was responsible.

He has no fucking clue how Tim managed it. They were never within arm's length of one another the whole night -

Except for the time they were taking on a gang together. Tim staggering into him when some punk got a hit in on him.

_“Are you fucking kidding me?”_

********

This is.

Tim looks like shit, has been chowing down on those damn energy bars even when he's not in his suit. When he's in the Batcave with Alfred upstairs more than willing to make sure he doesn't starve to death because Tim is tied with Cass as Alfred's favorite. (Suck it up, Bruce, everyone knows it's the truth.)

********

It's been a quiet night, which.

They're not actually rare in Gotham, it's just that when there's shit going down it's hard to remember the nights like this one.

He looks over at Tim who has an energy bar in either hand and looks like he's having trouble deciding which horrendously tasteless if nutritious energy bar he's going to eat.

Jason sighs, grabs Tim and hoists him over his shoulder.

“What the – Jason! Put me down!”

Jason ignores him and his little flailing arms and legs and hums to himself as he makes his way to his apartment.

Ignores the startled questions from the others, Barbara's laughter.

Sucks in a sharp breath when Tim goes for his kidneys and gently - _gently_ \- knocks his head on the edge of the window frame as he slips into his apartment.

“So very sorry, Tim,” Jason says, faux sincerity, and he drops the little shit on his couch.

Tim scowls up at him, and Jason.

“Shut it,” Jason says. “You're going to eat real food and you're going to like it.”

Tim blinks at him, frowns. “What?”

********

Jason changes out of his suit, pulls on some old sweats because it's getting cooler out, summer nearly over. Has to look away when Tim shuffles wearing some of Jason's clothes that are probably a million times too big on him.

“Shut up,” Tim mutters, tops of his ears pink as he pulls up a chair at the little dining room attached to Jason's kitchen. (It's really more of a nook, enough room for a tiny table and two uncomfortable chairs.)

Jason snorts, opens his refrigerator door and looks inside to see what he even has in there. Eggs, a little block of cheese, random things here and there that probably won't kill them outright. (Might make them wish it had, but, eh.)

“You allergic to anything?”

No answer.

Jason frowns, looks over his shoulder and - 

He sees a blur of black and blue coming at his face, and then pretty much just all black.

********

Jason comes to a few hours later, stares at the ceiling of his kitchen trying to remember what happened.

He's pretty sure Tim wouldn't have just left him alone on his kitchen floor. (Would have, at the very least, drawn on his face or pulled some other very, very mature shit on him.)

Feels the ache in his face, and -

“Dick, you're a dead man.”

It's a warning, if Barbara or Bruce feels like passing it on to him, because Jason's not stupid enough to think they don't have his place bugged to hell and back.

“Tell him to start running if he hasn't already.”

********

When he gets to the manor, Alfred lets him inside with a little smile.

“I believe they're in the kitchen at the moment.”

Jason gives him an odd look, and, “Thanks, Alfred.”

He passes Bruce, gets another little smile. Sees Damian lurking just outside the kitchen, and gets a fierce little glare and a disdainful snort. 

“Grayson is a fool.”

“Old news, demon brat, old news.”

Jason pushes his sleeves up, walks through the doorway and - 

“Oh, come on, Timmy, I already said I was sorry.”

Dick is sitting on a stool at one of the counters, Tim doing a good job of looming over him for a shrimp .

"Remember what Alfred said?” Tim prompts, puts a pen in Dick's hand. 

Dick pouts – _he's a grown man_ \- and pulls one of Alfred's Formal Apology forms in front of him, starts to fill it out.

Tim looks up at him, smirks.

“Hey, Dickie,” Jason says, so very sweet. “Barbara or Bruce mention I was coming by?”

Dick freezes.

“Because, you know,” Jason says, takes a step forward. “Some asshole broke into my apartment and knocked me the fuck out. Kidnapped my guest.”

He pauses.

Lets that sink in.

Tim looks at Dick. Kicks his ankle when Dick stays quiet.

“I'm very, very sorry and it probably won't happen again.” 

Reassuring.

Tim's eyes narrow, and he kicks Dick again, hard enough that Jason winces in sympathy.

Dick jumps and gives Tim a wounded look before he twists around to face Jason.

“I'm sorry I punched you in the face,” Dick says, not sounding sorry at all.

“Dick.”

“Tim.”

Jason watches the two of them having a a silent conversation that involves a lot of eyebrow movement and various sighs from Tim.

“Christ, what the hell is wrong with all of you?”

Dick and Tim look over at Jason, nearly identical frowns on their faces.

Just.

“Never mind,” Jason sighs, he fucking gives up.

Fucking weirdos, all of them.

********

A few days later, Jason manages to drag Tim back to his place for breakfast, snorts when he finds a Formal Apology form on the top shelf of his refrigerator when he opens it.

What do you know, dumbass actually finished the damn thing.


End file.
